We have represented publishers (newspaper, magazine, newsletter and book) in First Amendment cases, including the defense of access to prisoners. We also defend clients who are subpoenaed for information or testimony, and help journalists gain timely access to public records, closed meetings, and closed court proceedings. Other First Amendment matters we have handled involve issues of religious freedom, freedom of association, and freedom of speech.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

Prison Legal News v. Schwarzenegger: RBGG established its publisher client’s First Amendment right to send books and magazines into state institutions, and was awarded attorneys’ fees for the same work. See Prison Legal News v. Schwarzenegger, 608 F.3d 446 (9th Cir. 2010).

Lawyer v. Lawyer: RBGG secured a dismissal of a defamation lawsuit against our lawyer client on an anti-SLAPP motion, successfully arguing our client’s speech was protected by the First Amendment. The trial court awarded RBGG and its cocounsel almost $100,000 in fees, which the California Court of Appeal affirmed in full.

Lucas Valley Home Owners Association v. County of Marin: We succeeding in securing a reversal under constitutional and zoning law of an order invalidating a conditional use permit issued to our synagogue client, the real-party-in-interest Chabad of Marin. See Lucas Valley Home Owners Ass’n v. County of Marin, 233 Cal. App. 3d 130 (1991).

Prison Legal News v. City and County of San Francisco; County of Sacramento; and County of Los Angeles: In three separate actions, RBGG represented a news organization to enforce the public right of access to information regarding government payouts on account of personal injury and civil rights claims.

Communist Party of Indiana v. Whitcomb: The Court unanimously declared for the first time that government-mandated loyalty oath statutes contravene the First and Fourteenth Amendments, reversing the lower court ruling and ensuring our client’s right to participate in electoral politics. See Communist Party of Ind. v. Whitcomb, 414 U.S. 441 (1974). This was one of several loyalty oath and disclaimer cases that RBGG founding partner Sanford Rosen took to the Supreme Court; others were resolved favorably in the lower courts.

Ibrahim v. Department of Homeland Security: RBGG submitted an amicus brief on behalf of a Muslim organization in support of a challenge to aspects of the federal “No-Fly List” under the First and Fifth Amendments. See Ibrahim v. Dep’t of Homeland Sec., 669 F.3d 983 (9th Cir. 2012).

Beard v. Banks: We submitted a brief on behalf of publishers, reporters, librarians, retailers, and other disseminators of books, newspapers, and magazines, in support of a First Amendment challenge to a Pennsylvania prison policy that denied certain prisoners access to any newspapers, magazines, and photographs. See Beard v. Banks, 548 U.S. 521 (2006).

Rose v. Department of Air Force: On behalf of our law student client, we enforced the public’s right to receive information from federal agencies under the Freedom of Information Act. See Rose v. Dep’t of Air Force, 495 F.2d 261 (2d Cir. 1974), aff’d, 425 U.S. 352 (1976).